Summer school provides more time for learning

July 02, 2001|By Hillary Dickerson

Offered to GCS children who may need a little extra support and encouragement, summer school operates from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Gaylord Intermediate School (GIS) for students in kindergarten through 10th grade. The programs - different depending on the grade level of the student - are not mandatory but instead come highly recommended by classroom teachers who feel that certain students may be at a greater risk to lose ground over the summer months.

The fifth- through 10th-grade program is coordinated by Dennis O'Brien, principal at North Ohio Elementary, while the kindergarten through fourth-grade program is headed by Betty Hartmann, principal of Elmira Elementary. The organizing pair also credits Paul St. Germaine, GCS curriculum coordinator, for his work to make the program a success by supporting the overall effort in whatever ways possible.

In planning the 20 days of school from late June to mid-July, O'Brien and Hartmann were mindful of summer vacations and try to be as flexible as possible. They also feel that a half-day of classes makes it seem like even less of a burden to students. "I have not run across one student who does not want to be here," O'Brien said. "One kid even said, 'Regular school should be like summer school.' We've designed it so kids enjoy it."

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Both O'Brien and Hartmann agree that the "secret ingredient" to the program's success in helping children learn is the small classroom size, allowing for individualized attention. Teacher hiring is not completed until after enrollment slips have been turned in so that there is an accurate count in factoring 10 students per teacher - a well-suited learning environment for one-on-one instruction.

At the younger level, Hartmann explained that reading and language arts is the primary emphasis with attention also paid to mathematics. "For younger students, the program keeps them engaged in an upward learning cycle," she said. "Summer school supports them so that when the new year starts they are able to take off and keep going."

Students in grades five through eight are referred to the program for specific emphasis on math, science, language arts or social studies. "It's all catered to what the child needs," O'Brien noted.

Continuing with his explanation, O'Brien emphasized past research that has shown the more time students spend mastering a particular task, the easier it becomes for them to perform. Summer school provides the necessary time in a nurturing environment.

O'Brien said that taking up to three months off in the summer is not educationally sound. Summer school counters potential problems that could arise from being without a structured learning environment for an extended period of time.

The ninth- and 10th-grade program is slightly different because each student has to meet certain requirements outlined by the guidance department to earn the credit they need. "Basically this gives kids more time," O'Brien said, adding that when a student finishes the assigned work, he or she is free to go - for some it takes a week, while others use the entire four weeks.

Even with the number of students participating in the summertime learning experience growing by leaps and bounds over the past three years - from 120 the first year to the current 300 - this summer may well be the last for the program, according to organizers.

While the fifth- through 10th-grade program is funded by GCS schools, kindergarten through fourth-grade receives funding through the All Students Achieve Program-Literacy Achievement Program (ASAP-LAP) grant, the first year of the three-year allotment. During the three years, GCS was to receive over $1 million in funding for summer, after-school programs, professional development and parental workshops.

St. Germaine explained the grant faces the likelihood of being cut or reduced next year because projected sales tax earnings are not as great as earlier thought. If the grant is scaled down or done away with, St. Germaine admitted the future of summer school is unknown at GCS. While he is quite certain some type of limited program would be possible, it would not be nearly as extensive as the present design.

"We're wringing our hands and waiting to see what happens," St. Germaine said.